a. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a simple, one-piece holder for use with hollow rung ladders. The primary use of the invention will be to hold a can of paint while the ladder is being used by a painter, but the invention may also be used as a holder for tools or other items.
b. Description of the Prior Art
Generally speaking, ladders are of two types. Folding step ladders, usually of modest size, have two hinged members which fold out into a free-standing ladder which does not need to be leaned against anything to be used. Most folding step ladders also have a shelf that folds down when the ladder is opened up, providing a convenient place to put a paint can or other items, or the top step can be used as a shelf. The other type of ladder which is commonly available is used by leaning it against a surface, typically the outside of a building. This type of ladder essentially consists of a pair of rails separated by regularly-spaced rungs. When two of these units are connected together in such a manner that they can be slidably disposed to each other and locked into place at a desired position, the result is an extension ladder which can reach to great heights and which is very useful for such things as painting the outside of a building.
Leaning ladders have always presented a problem with respect to finding a suitable and convenient way to secure a paint can or other item while the ladder is in use. Unlike the folding step ladders, the leaning ladders do not have a shelf for this purpose, and their rungs are typically narrow and not suitable for use as a surface to place things. Since leaning ladders are frequently used by painters who require immediate access to a paint supply to perform their job efficiently, there has been a longstanding need to provide some means to accomplish that purpose. The traditional solution has been to simply hang a can of paint from one of the ladder rungs by use of a wire twisted into an S-shape, with one end hooked around a rung and the other end around the handle of the paint can. While this method works, as attested to by the fact that the Applicant has observed numerous painters employing just this method right up to the present, it leaves much to be desired. For one thing, it is awkward and potentially dangerous. The paint can hangs behind the ladder, so that the painter must either reach around the ladder with some loss of balance or through the rungs to get access to the paint can. This slows down the painting process and can lead to sloppiness and unwanted paint spillage as the brush is repeatedly transferred back and forth from the paint can to the work surface in this awkward manner. The handle of the pain can also tends to get unwanted paint on it. Also, when a paint can, particularly one nearly full, is suspended by this method, there is a tendency for the can to swing around as paint is retrieved from the can, and if too much pressure is placed on the can during this process, the handle on the paint can will slide within the hanging wire, resulting in a paint can which is not level.
It is therefore apparent that there is a need for a better way to secure paint cans for use by painters on leaning ladders. Ideally, the solution should be a holder which is simple, inexpensive, durable and reliable. Applicant's invention meets all of these requirements. Applicant's invention relies upon the nature of the construction of modern leaning ladders. In particular, the vast majority of the ladders now in use and being sold are made of aluminum and have hollow rungs. In fact, according to Applicant's best information, a single company, R.D. Werner and Company, manufactures about 80% of these ladders which are made in the United States, and the Werner ladders have a uniform width between the ladder rails, and a uniform diameter of the hollow rungs. In considering these facts in relation to the problem identified above, Applicant conceived of the idea of using the hollow rung of the ladders as part of the solution in a manner which will be described further below.
The prior art discloses a recognition that the hollow rungs of a ladder can be used as a solution to the problem of conveniently holding a paint can when the ladder is in use. However, to Applicant's best knowledge, none of the prior patents along these lines have achieved any noteworthy commercial success. Discussions with professional painters and inquiries with painting supply stores have indicated a lack of awareness that devices which utilize the hollow rungs of the ladder are available.
Several examples of holders for hollow-rung ladders can be cited. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,523,733 by Lunden, Jr. discloses a rigid tube with a suspended shelf on one of its ends. When the opposite end of the tube is inserted into the hollow rung of a ladder, the rigid tube is thereby supported, which in turns supports the suspended shelf on which a paint can is placed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,446 by Brown describes a "ladder caddy" which again uses a rigid tubing member to be inserted into a hollow ladder rung. Rather than a shelf surface, however, Brown discloses a snap-lock holding band. The paint can is placed within the band, which is then snapped closed, tightening around the can. The band itself is attached to the rigid tube through various wooden parts, such that the band, and paint can held therein, hang below the rigid tube which has been inserted into the hollow ladder rung.
Yet another invention along these lines is U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,060 to Korda. This invention discloses a rod which is long enough to extend completely through a hollow ladder rung. One end of the rod is threaded, thereby allowing a paint can holder to be secured by a wing nut to the rod. The opposing end of the rod has a pivoting latch plate which by gravity drops down to a vertical position once the rod has been inserted completely through the hollow ladder rung, thus supposedly securing the rod in place in the rung. The paint can holder portion of Korda's invention is simply a U-shaped frame with a cylindrical top piece conforming to the diameter of the paint can. The paint can rests on the U-shaped frame and is held in place by the cylindrical top piece.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,251, to McGraw discloses a paint can holder for hollow-rung ladders which is self-leveling in two planes. McGraw uses a rigid tube to be inserted into the hollow ladder rung and an elliptically-shaped frame member which is attached to the tube. The paint can is supported by a pair of notches in the frame member which are sized and spaced to receive the handle bosses found on a standard size paint can. Since the rigid tube inserted into the ladder rung is cylindrical, McGraw's device is rotatable about the axis of the rung, and self-leveling as the angle of the ladder against the building is changed. Also, because the handle bosses are round and can be rotated within the notches of the elliptical frame member, the paint can is self-leveling in a second direction. McGraw discloses embodiments of his invention in which the rigid tube member extends only partway through the hollow rung to secure one can of paint, and another embodiment in which two cans of paint, one can on each side of the ladder, can be secured by threading together two tubing members with an elliptical frame member on each side.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,957, Lunden, Jr. discloses a device in which one piece of steel rod which has been formed into a circle is welded to the open end of another piece of rod bent into an elongated U-shape. The closed end of the U-shaped piece is offset and has a sleeve placed over it. When the U-shaped piece is inserted into a hollow ladder rung, and a container placed into the ring, the weight of the container pivots the offset end of the U-shaped piece into contact with the upper inside surface of the rung, thereby securing the holder in place.
Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,682, to Martin discloses a flat strip of metal of a size suitable to fit inside the hollow ladder rung. One end of the strip is bent into an open-ended ring shape, with an overlap which allows a paint can to be placed within the ring which can then be tightened around the can by fastener means, for example a wing nut.
As the above indicates, there has been a good deal of effort in this area, but at least from applicant's perspective, little notable success commercially or in the field. This can be attributable to disadvantages inherent in the prior art, including over-complexity and inconvenience to use. Applicant also believes there may be a problem with perception, with painters being resistant to using any device which does not give the clear appearance of being able to securely hold a can of paint without the danger that the holder can come loose, spilling the contents of the paint can below, with potentially disastrous results.
Accordingly, there are a number objects of the present invention. It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and reliable utility holder for use with a hollow rung ladder. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a holder as a single piece. It is a further object of this invention to provide a holder which can be positively locked into place so that there is no possibility it can inadvertently become loosened or dislodged from the ladder. It is yet another object of this invention to provide for a holder which is rotatable within the hollow rung of the ladder so that when the holder is used to hold a paint can it will self-level as the angle of the ladder is changed. Finally, it is an object of the present invention to disclose a paint can holder which can be manufactured from molded plastic, resulting in a combination of extreme durability and economical cost of production.